Working hard?

Yeah, right. 

It's the best thing about getting to do what I get to do.  I get to spend two whole days with quilters and call it "working".

There was a Schnibble-sighting in St. George, Utah. 

 
With books actually starting to ship this week, there was some concern about our having books for class.  But Martingale is amazing and they made sure that the necessary books for class arrived on Wednesday.  I would have bought some to send you but we really did have just enough copies for everyone in class.  So a huge thank you to all the kind ladies at Martingale!

I was at Scrap Apple Quilts again.  Shirley ~ the lovely owner ~ keeps inviting me back.  I'm starting to wonder about her... and some of the gluttons for punishment returning students.  It's always nice when I see familiar faces... well, most of them.  (Just kidding!  I've yet to meet a quilter I wouldn't enjoy seeing again... and, yes, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

This is part of the classroom.  The window you see in the back faces out to a lovely little courtyard shared by the businesses of this shopping center.  Across the courtyard, the shop you see in the background is the quilt shop.  It's a perfect arrangement for a quilt shop as the classroom is separate from the shop, lessening the distractions and interruptions from customers in the shop.  But if you need something during class, the shop is about 50 feet away.  The classroom also opens out to the parking lot on the other side, making it easy to haul in all the "stuff" we seem to bring to class.  There's also a separate restroom and storage room.  I think you can see why I love being invited back.  The ladies are pretty nice too.

The class was kind of a two-day, you-pick sort of thing in that everyone got to pick the project they were making.  Most everyone did something from the new Schnibbles book... except for Connee, Carola and Cari.  They're my "problem children".  (Not really... they're funny, lively and they make everyone feel they're "one of the girls".)  Carola and Cari worked on Crackling Palms from two years ago and Connee brought her finished quilt top and something new to work on ~ Full Bloom made with American Jane's Breath of Avignon fabric.

Sorry about the missing row ~ she was busy working on the quilt and I didn't get a chance to get another picture.  Trust me when I tell you that Connee's quilt is gorgeous!  It's happy, cheery, sunny and all-around yummy.

On Friday night, Shirley and her coterie of amazing assistants made a terrific dinner that was served in the courtyard so we could enjoy the beautiful evening.  After dinner, I took advantage of the captive audience and bored them to tears with quilts, quilts and more quilts!  All mine, of course. 

And since I'd showed them mine, I made them show me theirs!

That's right!  I asked everyone to bring one of their quilts for a show and tell.  They could bring any quilt they wanted to ~ their most recent, their first, their favorite, their most treasured. 

These are Sweet Escape quilts from last year from Ronnie, Yvette and Andrea. 

Dawn brought this terrific Winter White quilt made from Sandy Gervais Christmas collection ~ she made this for the Year of Schnibbles.

Susan made Good Tidings using the pattern from Australian Homespun magazine.  I love the wavy scalloped border on the quilt.  (Show-off!)
 

Sherri ~ yes, that Sherri!  A Quilting Life Sherri! ~ brought several of the Schnibbles quilts she's made in the past few months ~ her version of Sunday Best is one of my favorites. 

I don't remember that Sherri ever showed a picture of what she put on the back of this quilt ~

 
How cool is this?  I like the exceptionally creative use of leftovers and the white part shows off the beautiful quilting!  And please note the terrific scrap binding... can you tell I really like this quilt?

 Sherri also brought a little something extra...

For moi.  She was teased about being "teacher's pet" and guess what!  She was!  Is!  It's wonderful.  It's very cute.  It's made out of some of my favorite fabric.  And Sherri made it for me!  I think the others were just jealous of my good fortune.  I love my little basket and while I try to figure out where to put it and what to put in it, it's on my cutting table, sitting right next to Route 44.  Which will hopefully get a binding this week...

Andrea, Ronnie and Jean made Scratch using the Martinique collection by 3 Sisters.  I think I'm going to need some taupe polka dots so I can make one too.

Yvette made Nice Day using the Whimsy collection from Fig Tree...

Samantha made a really beautiful small version of Imagine using the Civil War Homefront collection by Barbara Brackman.  She finished the borders before we finished on Saturday but I didn't get a picture of it.  Given an opportunity to do so, I know I could have found space in my car to take this quilt home with me. 

Here's Laura and her Imagining Verna...  Or Imagine, made with Verna fabrics.  Poor Laura.  Her blocks were up on the design wall... about 10 feet from the door.  Which we kept opening to get some fresh air.  Which we closed when it got windy.  Which was after the wind blew through and blew all of Laura's blocks off the wall and onto the table.  And the floor.  Pretty much... everywhere. 

She's smiling because this picture was taken before the wind-thing happened. 

I missed several other pictures ~ or was thwarted by "folks" taking their blocks down before I could get one. 

And I didn't get to take a picture of Sherri's Plan C.  She was so busy finishing it that it wasn't in one place long enough for me to take one!  But I will tell you that it's beautiful.  And you're going to want to make one.  Martinique and a little Park Avenue thrown in.  If she doesn't show a picture of it when she's done, we'll hunt her down.  I know where she lives.,, 

What else to tell you?

As always, I got to hang out with all sorts of wonderful, kind, generous, and all-around amazing ladies.  St. George is beautiful, and so is the  drive to get there.  I didn't get any speeding tickets.  I almost ran out of gas on the way home.  And every time I drive through the Virgin River Gorge, only one word/thing comes to mind -- Porsche!  I seriously love that stretch of highway.   

Okay, one last thing.  This is a warning of sorts, one of those "you'll be sorry if you don't..." and "you'll thank me later for this..." kinds of warnings.

Rural Jardin by French General.  In quilt stores now. 

After a terrific lunch in Las Vegas, "someone" bought a little bit of this at Quiltique to go with some of her Rouenneries stash.  Since I know she's going to make something fabulous with it in the near future, I bought some of it when I got home.  I would have bought it there but I didn't want to be too obvious in my blatant copying of her work (there's enough of that already).  I might have gone back without her but I was kind of running a little late and I probably would have gotten lost trying to find the quilt store... okay, probably not.  No real quilter ever gets lost on the way to a quilt shop... it's a built-in GPS sort of thing.  (GQSPS ~ Global Quilt Shop Positioning System.)

By the way, Cafe Rio really is as good as she says it is.

So was I right?

Does any of this sound like work to you?

Comments

[Sara Ross]

It certainly doesn't sound like 'work' to me or rather it is just the kind I like. Sounds like you had a wonderful time and anytime you can come back to Dade City we'll be GLAD to SUFFER through another project. Only one 'Three Barns' completed (that overacheiver Kay, of course) but several (mine included) close to 'flimsy' stage.

[sherri]

It was so much fun...and you wrote the perfect re-cap...just wish I could have stayed for Saturday. I did post my quilt on my blog already...had to iron it first thing the next morning and take pictures...oh, and read your book, cover to cover several times! Thanks so much for a great class, trunk show...and quilting inspiration!

[Sasha]

Gee I wish I lived in America!!! I guess I'll just have to keep reading! Thanks Carrie for all of the wonderful things you do to keep us quilting! I, for one, am very grateful!

[Jocelyn]

Work! Oh my goodness, this is the kind of work I want to do! So much fun :-)

[Kate]

Looks like an awesome class...feel like coming to Australia? :-)

[Cara]

Sounds like a blast. Oh the Rural Jardin...so pretty. I've bought a layer cake to make something out of the new book from!

[Dawn]

It was a wonderful class! I've already recruited a few quilters to come next year! You truly are a delightful and talented quilter. Thanks for sharing!

[Sinta Renee]

I love this post... and wish that I could have been there! The class looks like it was so much fun... and great women also! Love the projects they shared. I can see that I won't be able to live without that book!!! I just bought some of the new RJ by FG yesterday! Must have been tuned in to you both:)

[Maria]

I'm soooooo jealous...wish I could've been there too! Just ordered the book from Amazon but says it will take 2-3 weeks to ship - I don't know if I can wait that long.

[Camille Roskelley]

Yep, looks like work to me! But a great, wonderful 'love what you do' kind of work. It looks like you had a fantastic time. I love seeing everyones projects. So a few things-

LOVE my aqua frame. It's on my mantle, and is perfect there. It ties in my aqua lamp and as Jarom put it "things don't look mismatchy anymore". That man... So thank you. You are a doll. The bags are pretty fantastic too. Thanks. :-)

Next thing- so beyond flattered that YOU would copy ME. Blushing! Just hurry and make something with it so I can copy you, will you?

(This is a really long comment) It was so fun to meet up for lunch and a little shopping. Can we just plan that once a month or so? Please?

One more thing- We just got a dog, Max, who I think should be Rosie's boyfriend. Think about it.

Sorry about the lengthly comment.

[Mary Flynn]

All I can say is wished I was there! I'd love to be able to meet you afterall I've got this addiction you gave me with Schnibbles! In fact, I've quilted three today for others!!
I'm looking forward to getting my hands on your book...though I'm holding out for autographed copy!

[Carol]

Looks like a wonderful class...what great show and tell...thank you for sharing all their quilts. Do I need to rush out and order Rural Jardin? Am I going to NEED this?

[Laura Miller]

Can't wait to purchase more layer cakes and get started on some other projects. The top is done, I just have to find the right backing. The two days were incredible--next time we will leave the misters home. The trunk show, class and advice and my 15 minutes of fame were wonderful. Thank you for a great visit. Laura

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmEYMbCXhvcdZXxojU96ZSQDNiwVse5FoY]

Wow, what fun it was to be in this class!! You are an excellent teacher and just plain fun to listen to and be around! I was so excited to see my Good Tidings quilt in your posting. I can't wait for my next chance to be in class with you! Susan

[Cat Wilson]

Glad to see you were working hard with the ladies. I ordered my book from Amazon (since my local store can't get them in until June)...and even Amazon is making me wait.....May 3rd, May 3rd, May 3rd, can't wait. Congrats again.

[Samantha Robinson]

This was my very first quilting retreat and it was a blast. Thank you for the great weekend. I will email you my finished quilt. Samantha